Crimson Cloak
by scntlla
Summary: The forest brought them all together, and they wouldn't have it any other way. (Zen/Obi/Shirayuki ; Red Riding Hood AU)
1. Red Hair

**_my, what red hair you have!_**

**_the better to stand out with, my dear._**

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a woman with a hooded cloak as red as blood. She wore it in hopes that its captivating color would distract onlookers from her similarly shaded hair underneath. Since she was young, her friend had always told her that red was the color of _fate, _and she did not take too lightly to those that thought otherwise. Whether it became a spectacle to behold in a commoner's view, or a rarity to be had from a noble's inconsequential thirst, she obscured her precious locks of hair from the outside world, and gave them all a fabricated _crimson _to be satisfied with, instead.

They called her "Little Red Riding Hood," although she often corrected people that her name was Shirayuki, and not the four-word-long abomination that gossipers and barmasters surmised to entertain themselves with. Still, she was rather well known, and because of that she could not indulge in public transport as much as she could. Very often, Shirayuki would take a road less traveled upon, and make the most of her journeys on foot. Quite literally, she walked through the woods with trepid feet and softer resolve—but nevertheless, a fiery steel tempered in her name as she headed forward, unfalteringly so.

On the other side of the Clarines Forest, there was a young man named Zen Wistalia. He was Shirayuki's friend since childhood, but more importantly he was someone that she could rely on. It was no secret that the two of them were in love with each other, but their busy lives often kept them apart. Zen was the heir to a throne in the kingdom of Clarines, whose only business in the Forest and nearby Shirayuki's home village was to visit his sickly mother, or vacation in the secluded mountains. Shirayuki, on the other hand, was a village apothecary and herbalist that constantly sought to better herself. Her recent admission of an official title from the kingdom's pharmacy gave her more credibility than before, and in turn, those that were obsessed with her found their feelings increased by tenfold.

Their different lives made them busy most of the time, and despite their intense feelings of love for each other, they could not seek out a proper relationship. So they made the most of the instances in time where they _could _see each other, and Shirayuki crossing the Clarines Forest on a frequent basis was an example of such a thing. She held a wire basket in her hands, one that was half full of food and drink, with the other half consisting of herbs and her travel journal's notes. She bade goodbye to her friendly neighbors and the village cats before making her way, and she was oh-so-sure that nothing could stop her from seeing Zen.

She did not count on a golden pair of eyes following her every move along the way. Nor did she anticipate to hear an occasional echo of noise—breaking branches, snapped twigs, rocks tumbling—behind her every ten steps or so. While she could be oblivious at times, Shirayuki knew that she was being followed. She turned on her heels, and stared at the evergreen foliage behind her, waiting for something to reveal itself from the underbrush.

It never did, and so she hurried her pace along even more. She desperately thought to herself that she wasn't scared, necessarily, but rather she was just nervous that she was making Zen wait too long. The sooner she could leave the forest, the better. Her hands were shaky as she clasped the handle of the basket closer to herself, and she tried not to think about the sweat accumulating beneath her hood and behind her neck as a result.

Shirayuki made it to a clearing when she bravely decided that she needed a rest. While the fear and anxiety should have kept her running, she did not feel the presence of the strange force behind her anymore, and she figured that at this point, she was safe. But just to be sure, she hiked herself up onto the lowest branch of a hanging tree—putting a good distance between herself and the rest of the forest—and let her feet dangle in the air as she admired the natural view before her.

Her slender fingers drummed against the lid of the picnic basket, before they gave into temptation and flipped the lid up completely. She ran her fingers through the ensemble of food she had with her, before she decided on a round, sweet shape that conformed to her very grasp.

It was a crisp, red apple. She brought it out from the basket, and put it to her lips where she bit off a juicy part. The sound was sharp and delicious, making her more satisfied than the actual taste of the apple itself. Nevertheless, this little snack was enough to satiate her, and she held the half-eaten core in one hand, while the other hand rested in her lap as she remained perfectly content in the trees. It never occurred to her that she might want to hurry up, because all the fear from before faded away and was replaced by awe for Mother Nature, and all she had in store for Shirayuki. From the greenest grass to the earthen oak trees, everything was colorful and beautiful in this forest, and it made sense why Zen's mother would choose to retire in a peaceful location like this.

Just as she was about to hop off the branch, she heard a rustling noise behind her. Suddenly aware of her current location, Shirayuki tossed the half-eaten apple back into the basket, and swung the handle over her shoulders. Then she scaled the tree higher and higher, until she found herself perched on a branch that kept her out of view from onlookers, and hidden away safely in the cluster of green leaves. The noises did not stop, however, and so she held her breath as she waited for the offender to disappear.

Five minutes passed, and she heard nothing. No rustling, murmuring, shouting, singing, or any other noise that indicated someone might be following her. No howling, chirping, or chattering from any forest creatures that might have had their eyes on her. And there was nothing like the divine word of the Gods, or the maddening whispers of forest fairies to drive her away. All was silent, and Shirayuki sighed to herself in relief.

As she was about to bring herself down to the lower branches below, she heard something hollowly ring, and then turn into a dull _thud _right next to her. She glanced for only a second, but there was no doubt in her mind when she saw it.

An oaken arrow shaft, buried into the bark of the tree—only a mere _inch _away from her skin. Shirayuki had no time to scream as she tumbled down from the tree, ducking and scrambling as a short flurry of arrows began to fly in her direction.

Her basket was miraculously unharmed throughout this whole ordeal, but her limbs painfully moved after making rough contact with the ground upon falling. She was glad that she decided to wear pants on this fine morning, because she could already envision the difficulty of scraped knees without them. Still, she had no time to dwell on the pleasantries. There was a hunter nearby, and for some reason they mistook her for some sporting animals, seeing as their arrows were still soaring in the air at her. Shirayuki pulled at her hood for good measure, and began to run even faster.

All the while, the hunter behind her called out, "Stop running! I won't hurt you if you cooperate!"

_That sounds like a wonderful idea, _she thought to herself sarcastically. _But no thank you! _"Stay away from me! Leave me alone!"

"No can do, girly! Hair as red as yours would sell for so much on the market! Just give up and you won't get hurt!"

"As if!"

Shirayuki continued to defy the strange hunter, for she knew that his words were loaded with lies and only lies. This was not the first time that something like this happened, either. Many people were obsessed with her, and usually they tried to pull off stunts like kidnapping her on a nearly monthly basis. The first time that ever happened. Zen came to her rescue, and then several occasions after that. But she could not always rely on him in dire times, could she? After all, he was only staying in town for another day before he had to go back to the kingdom. If she did not successfully rendezvous with him now, then she will not be able to see him at all until next time.

And if this hunter was so insistent on capturing her and taking her to the black market, then there might not even _be _a next time.

Her blood surged with adrenaline, and Shirayuki decided that she needed to do more than just put distance between herself and her pursuer. If she leads him to Zen's mother's home, then she could endanger the lives of both the crown prince and the queen of Wistal, which was one of the last things she wanted. But she also did not want to turn back and go back to the village, since she already traveled so far away from it in the first place. So the only solution she could think of was a simple one.

She made a sharp turn in another direction, ducked her head down, and ran with all her speed and might. The wind picked up around her, and part of Shirayuki felt warm and triumphant, as she was sure that this would be the last that the hunter saw of her.

Unfortunately, she made a mistake somewhere in her calculations, and the rough surface of rope met her soft skin much too quickly. Then her feet were obstructed by some unknown weight, and she tumbled over herself in a disgraceful manner. Her basket bounced out of her grasp, and then out of her sight completely as it disappeared behind a large rock. Her arms twisted awkwardly, and were unable to break the front-facing fall that she was forced to have.

Shirayuki was caught in a hunter's trap, somehow, and turned red out of anger and shame mixed into one. His footsteps echoed loudly in her ears, and rough hands reached out to caress her errant strands of red hair, after he pulled off the hood that obscured her hair in the first place. She burned at his touch, and tried to writhe away, but the netting around her body and the weights around her feet prevented her from moving more than a few inches.

He laughed loudly above her. "I told you to cooperate, didn't I? Now look at you, you went and got all hurt on me. At the very least, your hair's still in tact, so you'll still sell well on the market…"

"No, stay away from me, you creep! You're not taking me anywhere!"

As much as she tried to escape on her own, and as much as she thrashed and flailed to repel his hands from further making contact with her body, she could do nothing to stop his obsessive gaze. Nor could she do anything to free the restrictions on herself.

He laughed again, the sound ringing hollowly in her ears. "You're right, girly. I'm not taking you just anywhere—I'll take you _everywhere _tonight. How does _that_ sound?"


	2. Golden Eyes

_**my, what golden eyes you have! **_

_**the better to see you with, my dear.**_

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a wolf with golden eyes. He was born as the youngest pup in the pack, and spent his whole life training to become just as strong and dependable as his older siblings were. Since he was a wolf, he had to protect himself and his family from human hunters, lest they make quick work of his body and turn his fur into their coats and his pelt into their rugs. Nevertheless, he lived life as vivaciously and observantly as a wolf could, and made the most out of everyday.

That wolf lost his entire family as hunters raided their den. Their screams echoed out into the night as pained howls, which was the only thing that could drown out the sadistic sound of human laughter behind them. As the youngest wolf of the litter, the rest of the siblings and their parents dedicated their last moments in life protecting him, hoping that he could survive this carnage if no one else could. They succeeded in sacrificing themselves for him, but they failed within minutes as the hunters enclosed on the last little pup.

Just as that wolf was about to be finished off for good, an angel came and saved him. He regarded this human woman as an angel, anyway, because as soon as her presence appeared and as soon as she intervened, the human hunters backed away in awe. They shouted at her, in words that the wolf could not hope to understand, and even shot a few arrows in her direction.

The wolf did not hear her body tumble to the ground in murdered agony, but rather he heard the gasps of the human hunters morph into terrified screams, and the sounds of their footsteps thundering away into the night. All while his family lay dead, murdered, and brutally beaten. He was even sure that the humans escaped with a few bodies or two, those that would be sourced for their luxurious fur.

He felt sick.

The woman comforted him, and reached out with a warm hand that was entirely inviting, despite its human appearance. Then she murmured some human words into his ears, and reached out around the wolf's head in order to place an object around its furry neck. It was a necklace, imbued with a strange power that overtook the wolf in defeated silence. A golden light glowed all around him, and when the wolf opened his eyes, the world looked different.

It looked a little _smaller _than he remembered. And more than that, it looked brighter and more _colorful. _Things were so muted and gray before, but now the forest sparkled with a renewed appearance. It was as if a painter had come and redone an entire canvas in vivid shades of green and brown, with splashes of red and yellow in between. It was as if the sun shone more intensely, bringing in golden beams of warmth to set everything alight with a soft glow of morning glory.

It was as if everything was new again, and the wolf realized that it _was. _He stared down at himself, and realized he was without fur and paws. No, all he had was a muscular, _human _body that was not too terribly different from his own, and a meager cloth draped over him to disguise his apparent nakedness. The lack of outward fur made him cold, anyway. But he could not afford to distract himself with the strangeness any longer, for the woman spoke to him in her voice, and he was shocked to realize that he could _understand _every word that she was saying.

"Are you alright, dear?"

"..." He could not respond. She continued in lieu of his silence.

"You must be confused. After all, you were half-dead yourself, injured and hurt beyond belief. The only way I could save you was to turn you into a human."

It was no surprise that he did not believe her. One withering look from his now-human body had turned the woman's face into a contorted expression of pity. She reached out, and continued stroking him with her gentle hands.

"Now, now. This is a far more favorable outcome than death, even if you are too afraid to admit it. Of course, your family cannot be saved—I cannot bring the dead back to life."

"I would never want you to," the wolf-turned-man spoke. His voice was lighter than he expected it to be, although it was sodden with exhaustion and pain, thereby morphing his whimsical tonalities into rough gasps and groans. He glanced at the woman for only a second before he redirected his deathly gaze into the ground. "My family would not recognize me this way. I am...a _human_ now…"

"Yes, and a very clever one, might I add. I never expected you to speak so fluently at the start! But you're wrong about being unrecognizable!" The woman hummed, and rummaged for something in her basket—something he just realized that she had in the first place—before pulling it out. "Your eyes are nearly identical to before. Look."

He glanced up, and saw his own reflection staring back at him. Aside from a saddened face and messy black hair, he was not too terrible looking, and he might even be attractive if he learned to smile. But the most noticeable part of his own image were his eyes.

Slanted, short-lashed, and full of introspection, they were a bright, golden color, not too unlike the early sunbeams pouring through the tiny leaves. He was unsure if his wolf eyes were similar in shape or color, but if they were anything like this at all, he would be quite happy. The own sight of himself made him breathlessly awe-inspired, a sensation that lasted until the woman put the mirror away back into her basket. He glanced at the container all the while.

"But perhaps you and I should talk somewhere else. Those hunters are gone for now, yet I feel myself growing weary. I won't be able to fend them off a second time." It was then that he noticed the way that her bright smile looked _pained, _and how she moved with hesitation, as if the slightest shift in movement made her miserable.

If it did, she was very good at hiding it. He blinked wordlessly as she spoke. "Come with me. Let's get our things sorted out."

"...Fine," he conceded, rising to his feet at her command. He had no other reason to deny her, with his family lying dead or missing in the village somewhere. She was his best bet for survival, in the end. "I don't have a choice, really."

"Oh, but you always have a choice," she insisted. "For most things, anyway. I was thinking that you need a proper name. Just saying 'you' is a bit impolite, isn't it?"

"Do what you want."

"Very well! You remind me of a very good friend I once had," she said. "So I think you can take on his name with pride. From this day forward, you shall be known as 'Obi'."

"_Obi…_" he repeated his own name with his lips, seemingly incredulous at the mere sound of it. "I am Obi."

"Yes, you are Obi. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," she agreed, reaching forward to grab her hand with his. Now that he was more used to the world from his human eyes, he could deduce that she was older than she first appeared—tiny wrinkles were formed around her hand and skin, and her deep blue eyes shone with a wisdom that was far too experienced to be young. He wondered if she was a mother, herself, which would explain her sympathy towards him.

He did not ask this out loud, but luckily she answered another question for him, anyway. "My name is Haruto. Haruto Wistalia, at your service." she curtsied to the best of her ability, all while never letting go of his hand. Then she straightened herself out, and smiled as bright as the budding sunlight around them.

"Let's do our best together, Obi."

…

That encounter happened years ago. Obi was a younger man back then—probably a teenager—and now he was considerably older. While he was still young and strong, he was also much smarter and wiser, and lived life so cunningly that it was hard to believe he was anything but human before. But there were still times where his wolfish roots showed, aside from the golden gleam of his eyes.

His strength and combat prowess were unparalleled, and he outclassed many common soldiers, thieves, and thugs. He even went further than that to outclass experienced knights and assassins. Word spread that he could even rival the Second Prince of Clarines, Zen, in hand-to-hand combat.

Those rumors were first spread by the prince himself. Fate had it that Haruto Wistalia, the woman that transformed Obi into a human and saved him in the same turn, was the Queen of the Clarines Kingdom, and Zen was her second son. Those two people were the ones that Obi had become the most familiar with. When Haruto returned him to her home—a large estate hidden in the natural beauty of the Clarines Forest—he realized she was not alone. Zen, at the time, was the same age as Obi, and naturally he became Obi's first and best friend.

There were times where Obi questioned his feelings for the prince, and realized that above all else, he loved and cherished his master as any person would. He was like a sword at His Highness' side, fighting and protecting him when he could. Even when he occasionally disappeared to have fun, explore, or do things on his own, Obi always came back to Zen's side, and treated Zen's enemies and friends as his own.

This stayed the same even as they grew older, and in time, Obi became aware of a young woman named Shirayuki.

She was Zen's close friend since childhood, and she frequently visited his vacation home in the Clarines Forest as a result. They were deeply in love, and Obi did not need to be around the two of them to know this. And try as he might, he could not stifle the feelings of adoration for Shirayuki, either, even if she was the object of Zen's affections, as well.

It hurt him to know that he cared for Shirayuki so, although it hurt _even more _to know that she had no idea of Obi's presence, to begin with. Much to the dismay of Zen, Haruto, and everyone else around them, Obi always disappeared from sight whenever Shirayuki visited. At first, it was because he was too shy and still new to humanity, but as the years went on, it became a conscious decision to avoid her. Because even without directly speaking to her, he effortlessly fell in love with her.

_The further away I can stay from the young miss, the better, _he thought. _It's not safe to think like this about her, not when Master cares about her so much…_

But Zen cared about Obi, too, to the point where he knew what the other was feeling even when he said nothing. The day that Obi confessed that he liked Shirayuki ("I like Master, too," he added on genuinely. Zen's heart almost beat right out of his chest), Zen was relieved. He was finally able to help the other out with his endeavors, and sought to unite him and Shirayuki in a proper meeting at last.

"She should be visiting us again today," Zen said. "I want you to meet her this time. No running away, Obi." A small smile formed on the prince's face, and he nodded to himself in approval of his plan. "In fact, would you do me a small favor?"

"Anything for Master," Obi replied obediently. He had a tiny smirk on his face, and curiosity gleamed in his sunny eyes. "What is it?"

"Please keep an eye on her in the forest. She's been here hundreds of times, but lately there have been more hunters and weirdos around. I don't want her to get hurt. I'd do it myself, but—"

"I know Master is injured," Obi swiftly said. "You don't need to feel obligated to do _everything, _you know. I can make sure that the Little Miss gets here safely."

"Thank you," Zen answered gratefully. "Be careful, yourself. And don't surprise her, she'll probably hit you out of reflex."

"I'll do my best to avoid that. Be right back, Master!"

"Bye, Obi. Be safe for me."

"I will!"

…

Obi watched Shirayuki from a safe distance. He never got close enough to confront her, but his presence was noticed, anyway—especially when she turned every so often to check behind her. She was aware that something was there in the foliage, watching her movements carefully. She was unaware that it was Obi, specifically, with his gleaming golden eyes and short black hair. He wore light clothing at all times, and was armed to the teeth with knives, smoke bombs, and daggers.

He had no intention of hurting her, but it was the rest of the forest that he was concerned about. From a wild bear (or _wolf_), to a mad hunter or stalker, Obi was ready to fight the forces within this natural paradise if it meant procuring Shirayuki's safety. Of course, he didn't forget his orders to properly introduce himself to her, but his habit of blending into the shadows made him invisible to her early on, and every minute afterward was spent in silence. So needless to say, he lost the opportune moment to reveal himself.

Although his heart panged with a severe note of guilt, he continued to observe her from a distance. She couldn't see or hear him—yet he could ogle her bright red hair, her introspective green eyes, and her movements that were all natural and nothing like a hindrance. He could admire her from afar, because like the shadows, he preferred to be unseen.

He really shouldn't be observing her in this way, to begin with. He wondered why Zen thought this was a good idea in the first place.

Halfway through Shirayuki's trek, she came to a stop and rested in the crook of a low-hanging branch in a leafy tree. It was here that Obi made his first real, momentous mistake in his allotted time as an escort and guard.

It was here that he looked away, and temporarily let Shirayuki out of his sights. There was something in him that let him feel complacent, if only for a moment. And it was because of this feeling that he wandered farther out into the foliage, inspecting something that caught his attention almost immediately. The further that Obi ventured, the more he realized that he wasn't the only one stalking about in these woods, after all. Like a wolf that catches on to the scent of another pack, he discovered something that turned his blood to ice, and rendered him completely silent in one fell swoop.

There were hunter's traps all over the forest. He sensed something had changed in these woods since yesterday, but was unsure what it was until now. The traps were nets, clamps, spikes, and pitfalls that could injure any person or animal. Worse was that there was trash on the ground, papers with wanted criminals' faces on them, and other disturbing documents.

One such thing was a letter that Obi discovered. It wasn't addressed to anyone in particular, but there was very clear writing that spelled out a horrific correspondence. It read: _Dear sir, as you know, the girl with the red hair is very valuable. We have reason to believe she'll be traveling in the Clarines Forest today. Please collect her and bring her to the meeting spot. Boss says if you can do it by twilight, he'll double your pay. Burn this letter after receiving it. _

Of course, the hunter in question failed to do such a thing, since the letter was sitting out in the open. Did the man think himself above others and that he could pull off this kidnapping on his own? Or was he unafraid of the forest, its creatures, and whoever else may be lurking within? Whatever the answer, only one thing was certain.

Obi had to protect Shirayuki now more than ever. If anything, he left her alone for too long, and it was time to return to her side. Perhaps in a desperate time such as this, it was better to reveal himself than to keep his presence hidden, especially if she had unknown enemies going after her already. With an affirmed resolve, Obi dashed back to the clearing, mind racing with thoughts that centered around red hair and sharp knives.

When he broke through the tree line, his heart sunk further into his chest, until the pulsating life felt like a distant echo crying out to him.

Shirayuki was gone.

…

While Obi was a human now, there remained some wolfish aspects about him from the past. One of those things was the ability to detect scents or presences of others. He searched the clearing, caught onto Shirayuki's trail, and discovered a stranger 's aura in the mix. His nose upturned at the foul smell, he concentrated on the Little Miss as much as he could, and tracked the empty air for semblances of them having been there previously.

He found footsteps in the soft ground, and followed their shapes until he arrived at a fork in the road. Bare tree branches hung overhead like an awning, leaves scattered and piled at the sides of the road. The left path seemed to slope downward, and there were fallen trees and logs that dated the forest's ever changing stability. The right path had a steep incline, and Obi caught a glimpse of a towering pine tree in the distance, the top of the tree barely visible over the hill.

There were footprints in both directions, and he was caught in a dilemma over an obvious realization. He sensed Shirayuki's presence down the left path, but he also sensed the hunter's presence up the right path. While it was easy to give into his fear and anxiety and go left, he knew that it was possible the hunter brought Shirayuki to the left path, only to throw off her tracks and take her back to the right path. Even worse, Obi could have missed them entirely, and they were slowly getting out of his reach with the passing seconds.

As the possibilities weighed on him, he knew he had to make a choice.

It was times like these that Obi thought back to Zen, and the countless moments of advice the other had given him. "Go with your instinct," the prince once said. "Some things are more powerful than training or experience. There are things like _intuition _that can't be ignored. And knowing you the way I do, Obi, I can rest assured since you have the best instinct out of anyone I know."

It was a true statement in and of itself: Obi was hardly taken by surprise, and even if he was, he pretended to be more shocked than usual. Only Shirayuki and Zen could truly surprise him, because just when he thought he understood the two of them in great detail, they would work against him and turn all of his expectations on his head. A spoiled prince who turned out to be quite generous, and a red-haired apothecary who could hurt as much as she healed—they were both important people in Obi's life, even if he did his best to keep his distance from them where it counted.

Today, that would all change. Today, Shirayuki needed his help more than ever, and it required more than just momentary glances or far off sighs. As Obi ran through the forest, fueled by pure _instinct, _he resolved to himself that Shirayuki would be _saved, _and once she was safe, he'd properly introduce himself to her once and for all.

Obi screeched to a halt, brandished one of his daggers, and crawled through the bushes. He knew Shirayuki and the kidnapper were closeby. He smelled dying perfume, apples, leather and sweat. He saw tiny footprints and drag marks, followed by a set of prints that were much larger: hunter's boots that left large impressions in the earth, grooves inset and incriminating in every sense. His hands clenched into fists at the sight of them, but he knew that in spite of everything, he needed to have a clear head.

He picked the right path, after all. Then he sauntered forth, and spotted a splash of red in the distance, a body squirming for freedom and movement. He heard distant laughter and rustling, saw another figure pace around triumphantly, and noticed the way the very winds seemed to change their intent. A breeze rushed through the forest, and Obi felt the wind travel through and around him, reminding him that he was nothing but a small blur in the impeccably large world, moved only by the changing winds.

The rest happened naturally, and before he knew it, he was in front of the red—in front of the perfumed, sweaty, scared Shirayuki, whose eyes blew wide with surprise, and whose trembling hands stilled in fear. Was she afraid of him, too? Did she not realize that he was a staunch ally, watching her from the shadows all this time? Whatever her thoughts on him, she could at least understand that he meant her no harm, if his brandished dagger and cold expression towards the hunter were any indication of that. The way his free arm stuck out to block her, and the way he cut down the ropes holding her captive, and the way his body bent to anticipate any further attack on them, all spoke leagues of his loyalty and protection—all of which were things he was willing to offer to Shirayuki in a heartbeat.

"Sorry for the wait, Little Miss," he told her. "I'm here now."


	3. Clear Heart

_**my, what a clear heart you have! **_

_**the better to love you with, my dear.**_

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a man with a heart as clear as glass. He was raised in a world of royalty, and ever since he was young, he was told that his dreams ought to consist of stained glass, tall thrones, and a crown embedded with jewels. He had an older brother, who he was tasked with taking after. But as the years passed on between them, there were too many differences that arose, and as a result, their paths diverged.

He was known as the Second Prince of Clarines, the reigning sovereign over the land. His name was Zen Wistalia, and his hair was white as snow, eyes blue as water, and heart clear as glass.

But it was far sturdier than _that. _

Zen's older brother was the First Prince of Clarines, Izana. Unlike Zen, Izana preferred to do things from the shadows, and his presence inspired fear more so than any other emotion. Yet that wasn't to say that either brother was better than the other. Zen simply had a penchant for being compassionate towards everyone, and seeing beyond minute details and thinking about the big picture. He was a stalwart, loyal ally, who treated everyone equally.

Above all else, Zen adored his mother. Haruto Wistalia, a magician in some rights, and the Queen of Clarines in others, was a whimsical and thoughtful woman. She resided in the Clarines Forest in a private estate, however, due to an illness that hindered her since youth. She stepped down from her queenly duties at some point, although remained an important person in the Clarines Kingdom. Even if most of the military and domestic affairs were handled by her sons, no one could deny the sway and power she still held over them.

Zen liked to visit her home in the forest, and this tendency of his helped link his fate to another.

He was only a child when he met the girl with red hair. He did not even know her name, but their paths crossed in the Clarines Forest, where she tumbled off the side of the road and sprained her ankle—where he _jumped _over her (he jumped over the hills all the time, but never in the presence of others) and their eyes met. It was the land and sea coming together in one conjoined motion, blue and green mixing into one beautiful shade that few people could find it in themselves to name.

That was the exact moment in time where _Zen_ met _Shirayuki, _and since then, a beautiful relationship bloomed between them. It was hard for them to meet at times, with Zen being the prince of their country, and Shirayuki being a town apothecary (who was then an apprentice), so their lifestyles had little in common, and their whereabouts even less so. More often than not, the two of them resorted to writing letters in their absence, and they would plan out the days where they could meet in the Clarines Forest, and spend time in each other's company.

It helped that Haruto took to Shirayuki like moths to flames. Zen supposed most everyone fell enamored with her at first appearance.

Obi was surely the same. Zen knew the wolf-turned-human for a long time, ever since his mother brought him home on a dark day. At the time, he was a youth most feral and unhinged, still unused to the life of a human's. But as the days went on, and as Zen and Obi spent even more time in each other's midst, one thing was made clear.

They, too, were fated to meet. Even if Obi's golden eyes were so mysterious and distrusting, even as he slipped away into the night like a shadow unyielding, he would always return to Zen's side at the end of the day, and listen to him like no other. Their paths were equally destined, and Zen would always be grateful for people like Obi in his life.

So it came to reason that feelings intensified between Obi, Zen, and Shirayuki. Even if one was seemingly unaware of another's existence, there were plenty of instances where they were all caught off guard, and their faces flushed alongside a thunderous heartbeat. Zen was the bridge between the darkness and light, the link between Obi and Shirayuki. And he was old enough now to know that he truly did care for the both of them, but with things being as they are (with Obi refusing to get in the way of what he thought was a perfect arrangement between Zen and Shirayuki), the three of them would never be able to enjoy each other's company.

They would never be able to bask in each other's _love. _

…

Zen did not necessarily know that hunters and human traffickers were after Shirayuki that fated day. If anything, he really _did _just want Obi to go out there and introduce himself to her, but if she _was _in danger, he would be even happier to have him around in that case.

He was injured himself, wounds obtained from fending off assassins from the royal palace, but Zen remained in fighting condition. As he thought his options over, and as the sun began to sink lower into the sky, he could not help but wonder if he should have went with Obi after all. And it hurt him, truly, to think that way, because he knew Obi better than anyone else. Though, it was not as if he distrusted Obi, and felt regret as he was no longer by his side in order to keep a watch on him. Rather, it was that he _trusted _Obi greatly, to the point where he would gladly hand over his life to him, or put the life of another trusted person in his hands, too.

He worried that his meeting with Shirayuki was going terribly, or that it had not happened at all. The worst outcome would be if something terrible were to befall them, but a close contender for the worst outcome was the thought of Obi going against his word, and choosing to remain in the shadows once more. Although it would be rather foolish of Obi to keep to himself after all this time, Zen understood the other's nature, and how he would simply step back and remove himself from the scene if it meant making him happy.

"My happiness is also yours," Zen told him one day. It was not so far into the past that he could barely recall, but recent enough that the words echoed through him like a sound wave. "If it makes you happy, Obi, then it makes me happy, too."

"Nothing makes me happier than seeing Master's smile~" Obi cheered, with a lazy grin that barely reached his eyes, but the curve of his lips and the raised eyebrow were enough to send Zen's heart aflame. "Haha, there it is! But what's with the redness, hmm? Don't tell me you caught a cold."

"I-I haven't done anything like that!" Zen protested quickly, rubbing at his cheeks as if it would do anything to erase their warmth. "If I was sick, I'd go to Mother first. You know that."

"Do I? I feel like Master's heart has been changing as of late." Obi sighed, and went limp as he leaned against Zen's shoulder. He closed his eyes against the world, and let his head lull into the space between the prince's neck and shoulders. "You seriously want me to meet the Little Miss? I can't believe you."

"Why is it so hard to believe?" Zen scoffed as he used his other hand to scratch at his head. All the while, his eyes were locked on the sight of Obi, whose hair appeared like a splash of darkness against his regality. "Did you ever think that it's better than watching her from the sidelines all the time?"

"Of course I'd like to talk to her face-to-face," Obi murmured. "Anyone with working eyes and ears would know that the Little Miss is amazing to be around."

"So then why—"

"It's not my place." Obi spoke with a certain decisiveness that cut Zen to the core—silencing him in his loudest moments. He lifted himself up from Zen, and stared him straight in the eye, with irises so golden that it shocked Zen into remembering that once upon a time, the man standing before him used to be a wolf.

No wonder he was so intense at times. No wonder it felt like Zen's soul was cleaved in half whenever they locked eyes. No wonder.

...And yet, Zen _did _wonder. He wondered if those things even mattered now, considering that Obi was human through and through. At least, he had been entirely human these past several years, with his propensity to avoid other people and his cutthroat ways being the only evidence of him having been otherwise. There were wolfish, animalistic things to Obi that sometimes made Zen think twice about their relationship. But those thoughts were nothing compared to the other moments they shared, in which Zen felt as if their happiness was shared, linked between them like the air and sea.

Strange how breathless he became in his friend's presence. Zen inhaled deeply, and closed his eyes as he leaned forward, resting his solemn forehead against Obi's. He relished in the barely-audible _squeak _that escaped Obi's lips, and Zen smiled at the thought of his retainer and friend, beginning to unravel so carefully at his candid touch.

"So what if I make it your place," Zen murmured. "Would you still refuse me then?"

"No," Obi nearly croaked. "N-No, I wouldn't. Is that what you want, though?"

"Yes."

"Then—"

"But, for once in your life, maybe you should start thinking about what _you _want, too."

They dared not to speak after that exchange, one that took place shortly before Zen sent off Obi to see Shirayuki in the forest. And while the two of them plundered in ways unimaginable, Zen could hardly help but wonder if he should have pressured Obi into meeting Shirayuki years ago.

Then the thought morphed into something more intimate and loving, and Zen was secretly glad that in this short period of time, Obi was not there to see what a red-faced mess he had become.

…

Shirayuki stumbled as her new savior appeared before her. He was quick, like an apparition of the forest, but instead of cursing her like some of the legends claimed, he _helped _her, and released the bonds around her wrists and ankles—blocking her vulnerable body with his own. From her position, she could see that he was strong, sturdy, but more on the lean side. He was crouched due to his startling entrance before, but now he straightened out his back, armed with a blade and other arm shielding her from the hunter.

_Ah, _she wondered. _So you're my savior. _

"I—"

"I don't know who you are," the hunter began to say. "But all I know is that you're gettin' in the way! Move aside! Hand me that girl!"

"No can do," Obi refused. His voice was coated in honey and lemon, and the smile he wore did not help to offset such bittersweetness in the least. "She's with me now."

"I didn't want it to have to come to this," the other man warned. "That's too bad." He pulled out a sword to match Obi's dagger with, and after comparing the sizes of their blades, he smiled wickedly at the difference. "Looks like you're a little under-prepared!"

"Be careful," Shirayuki murmured to him. She was standing, now, although pure fear rooted her to the ground. Her hands reached out for him, but she could not find the willpower within herself to make contact. Her fingers trembled and hung uselessly in the air before her. "I can help, too."

Obi's first instinct was to deny her. He did not want her to become hurt further, since he knew that there was no way she would come out of this interaction unscathed. He already understood that her wrists and ankles had varying degrees of rope burn, and there would be a soft spattering of bruises over her skin where the hunter handled her too roughly. The thought of it made him anxious, agitated, and his eyes narrowed to golden slits.

Yet, on second thought, he remembered Zen's orders. He told him not to hide from her anymore, and that also meant being around her and involving her in things. Now that she was no longer held captive, she could even be _useful _in this regard.

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll distract him. You look through his stuff and take whatever might be dangerous."

Shirayuki's gaze drifted to the hunter. She noticed that behind him, on the forest floor, was a large traveling sack. She did not know its contents, but she knew that it was not safe for him to reach any of his belongings, if it meant he got access to another lethal weapon. She nodded quietly and said, "Got it."

"Perfect. Brilliant as always."

"What?"

"Ah, never mind." Obi chuckled, and leaned forward. "Sorry to say that you wouldn't understand." With that, he launched himself, becoming a black-and-gold blur in the air, eyes focused on his goal with such intensity that Shirayuki needed to _breathe_. She needed a moment to herself to simply _watch _as his figure moved before her, disrupting the once peaceful chaos of the forest, setting everything ablaze with careful yet tantalizing movements.

When she remembered herself again, she ducked to the side of him and the hunter—both of who were now locked in combat, blade against blade—as she grabbed for the traveler's bag he left to the side. She tried to grab it and carry it with her as she ran, but as she pulled for the straps, the weight of whatever was inside pulled her down, and she tumbled into the grass.

Sitting upright, Shirayuki quickly opened the bag, and gasped at what she found. Various knives, bows, arrows, and small hand axes were inside. Along with several smaller bags that were tied at the neck, with the distinct sound of coins resonating within as she jangled one bag for good measure. There was also a thin notebook inside, with torn out pages and the remnants of a correspondence.

She only read a few sentences, but judging from the content, she understood the situation to be the following: the hunter made a deal with some human traffickers that in exchange for the "girl with the hair as red as fate." He would get 40% of their earnings, should they sell her off into the black market successfully. He argued that he wanted the money upfront in case he failed in securing her. The coins that Shirayuki found were surely the result of such a bargain, and wherever the hunter originally planned to take her was someplace even more threatening and dangerous.

She shuddered at the thought, and pocketed what she could. Then she tossed the bag down a hill and rolled it into a ditch, where she knew that the hunter would be too bothered with in retrieving—_not _before she managed to take a few knives on her person, however. Shirayuki swiveled on her heels and shouted: "Done!"

"Perfect!" Obi's voice was rich with excitement and bloodthirst. He relished in his fight with the hunter, which was less of a fight and more of a struggle on the hunter's side of things. Although he had a bigger blade, his movements were clumsy and slow compared to Obi, who made quick and sharp cuts to his flesh in succession, using each flash of pain and agony to his advantage. Every time the hunter yelped, Obi's eyes sparkled a bit brighter, and he continued his work until he could see crimson color leak through the material of the other's clothes.

"Stop it!" he begged Obi. "I give, I give!"

"Yeah, but I'm still bored," Obi tittered. "So too bad."

"Wait—"

Obi was quick and merciful, because after leaking the hunter of a good amount of blood, he finally did him in, and in one swift movement he used the handle side of the dagger, slamming it directly into the back of the hunter's head. There was a mild _cracking _noise, but as the other's body fell to the ground, his chest rose up afterward, signifying an undeserving breath that lingered in his unconscious body.

Obi did not want to kill in front of Shirayuki if he could help it. That was the only inhibition preventing him from serving out justice. Yet, as he finally had a chance to breathe, Obi only felt grateful. Perhaps he was more of a human than he previously thought.

"You saved me," Shirayuki said, nearly breathless. She ran up to meet him, with a broken wire basket in her hands. Obi remembered that her originally intent was to spend the day with Zen, and the two of them often did that by picnicking in the forest together. He felt a sting of guilt at the admission that if Obi were more observant earlier, Shirayuki would have never gotten captured, and she would have made it safely to Haruto's abode in the forest without being assaulted by the hunter.

Still, even if she was not the one engaged in direct combat, she felt just as involved and tired as Obi did. Her green eyes were blown wide, and her mouth slightly agape, a sight of pretty pink lips parting that did nothing for Obi's too-fast beating heart.

He gulped, the movement stretching across his throat and making his mouth feel dry.

She went on to say, "How can I ever thank you?"

"Seeing you safe is thanks enough," he insisted. The two of them looked down at the defeated opponent, both with varying degrees of worry on their faces. "I suppose Master Zen would want him unharmed, in the end."

"Zen? He asked you to come here?" Shirayuki balked.

"Yes, he did. He asked me to...keep an eye on you," Obi admitted. His eyes trailed over her figure, and they naturally glowered at the sight of bruised wrists, ankles, and other parts of her skin which were tarnished by the hunter's touch. Just as he feared. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner."

"I'm just grateful you came at all!" She stepped forward, and placed one of her hands on Obi's cheek. In that moment, he felt not like a retainer, a friend, a human, or a wolf. He felt like nothing and everything, as all the sensation left his head, and flooded down into his hands and chest, where a sudden _hollow _feeling had taken residence. All because Shirayuki reached out to him, and did something as innocuous as place her hand against his skin.

And to think that Master Zen wanted her to be more involved with him than this? And that he expected Obi to be perfectly okay with the circumstances as they were? Obi almost withered at the thought of it.

"That's…"

"But I wish you would've approached me," Shirayuki said, brows drawing to a worried point. "You didn't have to hide yourself up until now."

"Believe me, Little Miss, that's what I've wanted to do from the start." The guilt was lessened by the fact that his heart was too erratic for him to actually feel bad. He felt a myriad of things, but the guilt was the least of it as he gazed into Shirayuki's deep, green eyes. "Let's go back to Master, together. I'm sure he'd like to see that you're safe."

"Thanks to you," she kindly added on the end, much to his chagrin. "Heehee, you're my savior. And you must know me, right? I'm Shirayuki."

"Miss Shirayuki, I've heard so many good things about you." _I've said so many of those things, myself. _"You can call me Obi. At your service."

"Obi," she repeated his name, and he felt like he was in a dream. "Obi…" she smiled up at him, and the dream intensified, because he swore he saw streams of midday light cascade down on her, making her all the more radiant.

"Obi," she said one last time, her voice bringing him to reality yet not at all. "I like that name."

…

"Thanks to your work, I think we've uncovered a huge lead on a group of traffickers that were giving us a hard time until now." Zen praised Obi and Shirayuki as he pored through the contents belonging to the hunter, eyes scanning each page for evidence against him. All while the hunter sat gagged, bound, and in the back of a carriage, ready to be transported to the nearest jailhouse. "I'm grateful to you two. I'm also sorry that I couldn't be there to help."

"Not at all, Master."

"Don't worry about it, Zen!"

They spoke at the same time, and when they realized it, Shirayuki and Obi exchanged glances, and looked away with synchronous embarrassment. Shirayuki was lucky that her head was mostly a red color, otherwise the blush would have been more noticeable.

Obi was less lucky, and therefore he had his back turned entirely towards the other two.

Zen sighed. "You're right, but still. I'm glad the three of us could finally meet up like this." He reached out for their hands, and held each of them in his own. "Let's make a promise here and now. Let's try to meet up together as often as possible. And one day, let's even live together."

"W-What?" Shirayuki's blush was no longer hidden as she staggered before them. "What are you _saying, _Zen?"

"Master, I—"

"What I'm _saying _is that I care for you so much. Both of you. And I'd never impose myself on anyone, but if I can have one selfish wish to myself, then that would be it." He ran his fingers over their knuckles, in an attempt to smooth out the worries that trickled down into their bones.

It was too comforting to be real. He went on to say, "Is that too much to ask? Am I stupid for asking in the first place?"

"Not at all!" Shirayuki piped up. "No, it's not that it's wrong, it's just that it's so, so _sudden! _To think that you'd finally say what was on my mind this whole time…"

"Good. And you, Obi? How do you feel about this promise?" Zen looked toward him with an expectant face, and nodded at Obi's free hand, gesturing for him to complete the circle, and also for him to lock hands with Shirayuki.

When Obi's rough, calloused fingers met hers in a similar make, he felt a chill up his spine, yet his blood burned at the simple contact between them. He carefully made his way over her smaller digits with precise strokes of reassurance before answering. "If it's what Master and the Little Miss want, then—"

"What do _you _want, Obi?" Shirayuki muttered. She disapproved of his standard answer. "If you don't agree with it, you can just say so."

"The problem is that I agree with it too _much._" The words were sharp and true coming out of his mouth, similar to the bladed edges he carried with himself earlier—the same glint, the same silvery make, the same cutting edge that managed to make Shirayuki and Zen yearn for something warmer. He swallowed the hesitation in his throat, and faced the two of them head on.

"I'd love that more than anything."

"Then it's settled," Zen agreed, finally able to breathe easy. He swung their hands in his own for a few revolutions, then promptly broke the hand-holding circle with a wide motion. "The three of us are a team now, okay? Let's do our best moving from this point onward."

And as if it were a spell, Zen's words hung over them, _inspiring _them, bringing them ever closer like he wanted them to. Yet despite the initial shock from both Shirayuki and Obi's end, they were also in agreement, if the wide smiles on their faces were any indication.

And for the first time in his life, Zen felt as if everything had fallen into place.

Almost perfectly.

…

Shirayuki was skilled enough to tend to her own wounds, as well as the small cuts that Obi obtained during his scuffle with the hunter. After saying hello to Haruto (who was not surprised that ill fortune befell Shirayuki on her way to the forest), she took Obi aside and began to heal him in turn. Zen, meanwhile, prepared their lunch outside on the veranda, where honeysuckle and ivy grew alongside the walls and tiled floors, where marbled tables and matching chairs awaited them, and a slight zephyr brightened up the rest of the surroundings.

She pretended that closing the window in their room was necessary, when in reality, it was a ruse so she had time to look away from Obi, whose pushed-up sleeves and unbuttoned shirt were two hits too many to her poor little heart. She breathed deeply before turning around to face him again. "Thank you, Obi. I can't express how grateful I am towards you."

"It's nothing," Obi denied. He sat down at a long couch, and rested on his hands as he stared deeply into her eyes. He usually preferred to look away from others, but he could never refuse the natural allure that Shirayuki had about her. "It would've been better if I met you earlier. Then you'd know all the times I tried to save you before, too."

"Is that so?" She smiled, and applied a disinfectant cream over the wounds on his body. The tiny cuts were then bandaged, although the minor injuries were left without cover so as to heal on their own. And although she could do little to heal it, she also stared at the small scar on his face—right above his eyebrow, barely hidden beneath his short black bangs.

He caught her staring, and swiftly spoke in lieu of the silence hanging between them. "If I knew you back then, then this probably wouldn't have left a scar."

"How long ago did you get the scar, though?" Her voice fell into a sorrowful cadence as she mumbled.

"Years and years ago," he said. "I was an idiot. I didn't handle blades carefully enough. At least it was me and not Master. Or somehow even _you._"

"You never approached me, did you?"

"Not once before today. So if you're feeling resentful or scared of me, I wouldn't blame you." Obi glanced at the way her hands hovered over his chest, barely moving as he spoke with bated breaths. "Really, I wouldn't."

"I know you never approached me," Shirayuki said. "I know that. But did you also know this?"

"Know what?"

"Did you know I was aware of your existence the entire time?"

Obi's hand, which was trailing upward absentmindedly—either to touch Shirayuki's face, push the hair out of her eyes, or even still her shaking hands, which was the most sincere reaction to his scar he had seen thus far—completely stopped, and it fell back to his side with a defeated thud. "What?"

"It still hasn't been that long," Shirayuki admitted, with a sudden fervor that she took a step back and clutched at the ends of her cloak. "It was a few years ago. I asked Lady Haruto about it."

"You asked her?" Instead of talking, Obi's words all transformed into desperate inquiries before his very eyes. "When?"

"A few years ago. Maybe five?" She shook her head. "For a while, I thought I was sleep-deprived. I swore that I always felt someone's eyes on me. I thought I could have been cursed, or something, so I asked Haruto her thoughts about it."

"And…?"

"And she told me that I had a guardian watching me from the shadows," Shirayuki explained. Her tone was soft, almost reverent at the memories that were flooding through her, now. "That he was always too shy to face me head on."

"..."

"I really wanted to meet you then. I thought to myself that if there's one thing I have to do before I die, it's to meet you in person!" Shirayuki giggled, but Obi made no noise, and the singular sound of high-pitched laughter did little to soothe their nerves. She coughed and continued to speak. "I think I saw you once before. Not clearly, though. I remember the way your back looked—I stared at you from afar and you went back into the woods. I thought I'd never see you again after that."

"All this time?" Obi asked another question, but then cut into his own inquiry. "Well, if I'd known that, I would've stopped avoiding you in the first place. Talk about bad luck."

"I'm glad we finally met up in the end, though." Shirayuki beamed down at him, and went as far as to lean forward and wrap her arms around him. Since Obi was seated, he found his face buried into her shoulder and the crook of her neck, where his skin brushed against hers, and he could hear the pulse thrum beneath the surface—where he felt his blood and hers fire up in the same speed of nervousness.

"I'm happy now that I know you, Obi. Thank you for everything."

"Little Miss...no, Shirayuki. You're so welcome." He hugged her back, limbs awkwardly wrapped around her in a way that was too unusual to be false. It was an unfamiliar motion, despite the years spent in the Wistalia household. He cursed himself, nevertheless. "Thank _you _for…just being yourself, I guess."

"Heehee, being myself is probably the only other thing I'm good at except being an apothecary," she joked. "So that's high praise in my mind."

"You still don't understand, huh?" Obi pulled himself free from the embrace, only to stand to his feet and pull her closer to him. "Being yourself is the best thing to happen to me. I swear it."

Shirayuki's face turned bright red, and while charmed by Obi's forwardness, she could not forget about Zen, too, who had been waiting for them up until now. "I'll take your word for it. But we should go. It's not fair to leave Zen out for so long, is it?"

Obi smiled, and let go of Shirayuki with careful hands. He was unable to resist petting her head (and feeling her soft strands of hair in the process) for good measure, however.

"You're right about that. It's not fair at all."

…

Once upon a time, there were three people. One was a woman with a hooded cloak (and hair) as red as blood. Another was a wolf (who was now a human) with golden eyes, like the sun. The third was a man with a heart (and mind) as clear as glass. These three people were initially separated from one another, but the power of fate connected them, and those connections needled their way through treacherous forests, naive years, and tall castles, all of which served as obstacles to their main goal.

_Love. _And the three of them loved one another and each other equally, passionately, and fully, with all their hearts and souls combined. The day the three of them were joined eternally was the day that their colors mixed into one, creating a perfect triad of beauty, skill, and wisdom. The colors melted into each other, until there was nothing but a twilit sunset bleeding into the clear sky, red and golden like liquid metal, pouring into the horizon and the heavens above.

And they lived happily ever after, unendingly so.


End file.
